


Cleansing the soul

by Causteek



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bath Sex, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-04
Updated: 2012-01-04
Packaged: 2017-10-28 21:24:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/312326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Causteek/pseuds/Causteek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He had almost lost Merlin and seeing him again had pulled at something in Arthur’s heart. That night, he had gently forced Merlin into his own tub for a bath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cleansing the soul

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gatepromise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatepromise/gifts).



> Happy Birthday [gatepromise](http://archiveofourown.org/users/gatepromise/)!  
> From: [wolfangeldeath](http://archiveofourown.org/users/gatepromise/)  
> Spoilers for 4.06 and 4.07  
> Rating: NC-17  
> Pairings: Arthur/Merlin  
> Warnings: None  
> Disclaimer: Merlin is owned by BBC and Shine TV.  
> Summary: He had almost lost Merlin and seeing him again had at pulled something in Arthur’s heart. That night, he had gently forced Merlin into his own tub for a bath.

It had started after Merlin was taken. Arthur (and Gwaine) had found him covered head to toe in thick mud, looking pitiful but overjoyed to see them. Now, Merlin often resembled a poor fluffy animal after one of their adventures, but this was different. He had almost lost Merlin and seeing him again had at pulled something in Arthur’s heart. That night, he had gently forced Merlin into his own tub for a bath.

Arthur had gently wiped the mud from Merlin’s face and chest before a squire had knocked on the door, pulling him away to attend a council meeting. When he returned to his chambers later that night, Merlin was no where to be found. It made sense; the boy must be beyond tired after his escape.

The bath was forgotten soon after, except in Arthur’s dreams. When Arthur slept, Merlin curled close at his side, warm as a fire during the cooling fall nights, Arthur dreamt of laying the thin, wiry strong body in the bath and simply cleaning him. Of wiping dirt smudges off the sweet face of his lover and watching the porcelain skin shine in the firelight. When Arthur awoke to Merlin curled around him like a small child, all he could think about was the baby smooth skin, wet and clean and innocent looking as he washed it.

So when Merlin came back covered in dust from rescuing Gaius, Arthur quietly ordered a bath be prepared in his room before going to apologize. When Merlin had sneakily asked for the morning off, Arthur had seen his opportunity. He knew Merlin would clean his room first; his lover had developed a pattern in his chores. He didn’t need to know that George had polished his armor and laundered Arthur’s clothes the night before.

When he returned to his room, the bath was still hot, steam curling from the tub as Merlin moved about his chambers picking up his sleep clothes and making up the bed. Coming up behind the boy, Arthur rested his head on his shoulder and scrunched up his nose as his arms made they’re way around the slim waist.

“You smell of iron ore.”

A small smirk appeared on Merlin’s face, “That’s what happens when you’re trampling around the Ridge of Camery.”

Pulling back a little, Arthur tugged Merlin’s waist to lead him to the bath.

“Come on, let’s get you clean.”

As he undressed Merlin, revealing milky pale skin stretched smooth over lean muscle; Arthur couldn’t help the thrill of excitement that shot up his spine.

The tub was a large round thing, metal surrounded by wood to keep the heat and Merlin nearly fit inside without having to pull in his legs. Arthur watched Merlin sink into the heat, his spindly arms and legs spreading out as his muscles lost their tension. He took off his chain mail so it wouldn’t rust before grabbing the cloth and bowl that had been left beside the tub. Arthur proceeded to lean Merlin forward and pour hot water down his neck and shoulders and finally over his hair before gently wiping him clean of the red dust.

After he’d finished with Merlin’s head and shoulders, he had his lithe lover stand so he could wipe the rest of him clean paying special attention to his hands and stomach. When he reached the v between Merlin’s legs, he was careful to apply just the right amount of pressure to the flesh nestled in the dark hair and then wrapped his hands around to massage his bottom and run a thumb over his hole.

Although Arthur knew that Merlin was anything but fragile, he always worried that Merlin might get hurt. In theory, Merlin could take care of himself, but he never seemed to actually put that ability to do so to use. Therefore Arthur had decided to take on the task himself. Merlin watched out for so many different people, there needed to be someone to watch out for him.

Arthur was pulled out of his thoughts when Merlin tugged on his hair, Arthur’s hands were still massaging Merlin’s bottom. Slowly, Arthur ran his hands down Merlin’s legs, and cupped water to rub them down.

“Arthur?” Merlin said as he sank back into the water. He didn’t have to say the words for Arthur to know what he wanted. Merlin never asked for anything. So if Arthur wanted to know what Merlin desired, he had to figure it out for himself. Merlin liked to be connected, to be as close as he possibly could whenever possible. His lover liked to cuddle, he liked the warmth and safety it provided and Arthur was happy to indulge him. Arthur himself quite liked to have Merlin neatly tucked away in his arms, safe and sound and cared for.

Slipping off his clothes, Arthur sank behind Merlin into the tub. Meanwhile, Merlin began to reposition himself, so when Arthur stretched his legs out and leaned against the side of the tub, Merlin shifted his way onto Arthur’s lap. His chest pressing into Arthur’s as he curled himself in and Merlin’s head was tucked under Arthur’s chin.

Arthur’s hand slid around Merlin, one arm pulling his chest in tight as the other sank down to cup his ass. In his lap, Merlin practically started to purr. It was endearing sometimes, just how like a cat Merlin was… unless they were having sex and then it was, well, pretty damn sexy.

Merlin’s hands slid up Arthur’s chest and over his shoulders to wrap around his neck before he lifted his head to look in Arthur’s eyes. Beneath the water, Arthur slowly rubbed at Merlin’s hole until the tip of his finger slipped inside. Merlin’s eyes fluttered as Arthur pressed his finger in deeper, the pale head bowing until they were pressed cheek to cheek and every single breathe and gasp and moan sounded sharply into their ears.

Tenderly, Arthur pressed one finger after another into Merlin, careful not to harm the smaller man.

“Arthur. Arthur. Arthur, please!” Merlin’s chest pressed urgently into Arthur’s as he rocked on the fingers inside him. “Please!”

As Arthur pulled his fingers from Merlin, the younger let out a low whine, at least, until he felt Arthur’s dick press at his entrance. Before Merlin could do more than moan, his king gripped him by the hips and pressed him down.

Everything blurred into a haze of pleasure as Arthur lifted Merlin up and pressed him back down onto his cock until finally Merlin found release and with one last glide into his lover’s clenching body, so did Arthur.

Sitting there, in the cooling water of Merlin’s bath, Arthur thanked whichever gods had given him the man in his lap.

The same man who was now dozing off. Which made sense; there was no way Merlin slept last night, not while he was saving Gaius and returning to Camelot. Glancing out the window Arthur was able to gather that it wasn’t yet mid-day, there were still several hours before Arthur had to be at council.

Making a decision, Arthur carefully shifted Merlin so he could stand before lifting the long body into his arms. Arthur laid Merlin out on the bed, pulling down the sheets to cover Merlin’s naked body.

As he turned to go dress and attend to some documents though, a hand grabbed his own and a quiet “Arthur” sounded from the bed. Merlin stared up at him from under his drooping lashes, waiting for Arthur to understand what he would not ask.

Arthur had practice though, so he didn’t need Merlin to ask. He simply slid between the sheets and let Merlin happily turn over to press his back against Arthur’s front. His bum pressed enticingly against Arthur’s cock, and in reply Arthur slid back into Merlin.

With a final happy sigh, Merlin tucked in as close as he could and finally closed his eyes.

The End.


End file.
